1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mount which provides a gun with three axes of rotation whereby the gun can be pointed both straight up (zenith) and well below horizontal in all directions of azimuth.
2. Prior Art
French Patent No. 2,376,394 appears to show a gun for a vehicle mounted on three axes to accommodate side roll of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 2,014,762 issued Sep. 17, 1935 to W. W. Fergus also appears to show an antiaircraft mount having three axes. Neither patent shows the concept of the three axes having a common intersection with the axis of the gun along which the firing impulse is applied to the mount. Other mounts for guns and other devices, such as telescopes, are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,001,289 issued Sep. 26, 1961 to V. E. Carbonara; German Patent No. 2,843,943; U.S. Pat. No. 2,178,291 issued Oct. 31, 1939 to G. Steuerlein; and U.S. Pat. No. 483,130 issued Sep. 27, 1892 to F. Bex. A two axis gun mount on a fixed, angled base, is shown in "Maritime Defense," Vol. 5, No. 6, June 1980, page 221.